Kayak Fishing in Venice & Plaquemines Parish
With the right guides, you can get to the best fishing spots in Plaquemines Parish with little more than a rod, bait and kayak.
Venice, Louisiana — part of Plaquemines Parish — offers diverse fish and some of the best inshore fishing charters in the state. And who says you need a high-powered boat in the bayou? Kayak fishing gets anglers closer to the action than most motorboats — and even if they could, they’d likely scare away the fish. Paddling into an alcove of downed trees, fishermen can get on top of the spots where big ones are biting.
This is fishing at its simplest: No motors to crank, no waiting in line at the boat launch, no expensive equipment to repair. Kayak fishing in Plaquemines Parish is also ideal for fishermen in a hurry: Within 10 minutes of meeting Captain Brian Sherman of Kayak Venice, fishermen are deep in saltgrass, with the sounds of the highway quickly disappearing.
Fishing Lingo & Fresh Catches
When it comes to fishing in Plaquemine Parish, it helps to know the South Louisiana lingo. “Reds” are redfish and “specks” are speckled trout, and if you’re out on the water with an expert charter boat guide, you may find yourself saying those words a lot.
That was the case when a fisherman met with Captain Brian after driving 60 miles from New Orleans to the tiny fishing village of Buras. “I got a red on,” the fisherman called from their kayak — one of a small fleet of paddle-powered boats Captain Brian owns. He and his son, Nolan, had been catching small fry all morning. By 11 a.m., the bigger ones had woken, and they were hungry. Within an hour, the captain and Nolan had each reeled in reds big enough to feed a small family.
Anglers in other parts of the country might recall a haul like this as their biggest fishing day of the year, but this is a typical scene in Venice. In the brackish marshes of Plaquemines Parish, however, this might not even rank as the biggest fishing day of the week.
From Kayak to Kitchen
By late afternoon, the sun falls behind the cypress trees — this is the kind of landscape scenery you’ll see on postcards throughout South Louisiana gift shops.
Back at his fishing lodge, Captain Brian fillets the redfish and speckled trout in what seems like seconds. Battered, fried and served with fresh oysters, it’s easy to imagine these dishes being served at fine dining restaurants in New Orleans. What better way to celebrate a long day of kayaking and casting than sitting down to a supper you just caught?
Credit that to Captain Brian’s expertise and the unique opportunities that kayak fishing and reeling-in your own meal offer.
